Wednesday, 15 April 2009

Smashing Fred Goodwin's windows

You would think I was responsible for breaking Fred Goodwin's windows. Politicians, Fred Goodwin, bankers in general and me. The responsibility for breaking his windows rests with the unidentified culprits - who broke his windows. Because that simple and obvious pointneeded to be stated in the discussions in the Evening News, I have engaged with their letters page. Here is today's letter in full:

JIM TAYLOR (Letters, April 7) uses my letter ("No sympathy for those who break law of land", April 4) as a platform to suggest direct action is the result of the failure of politicians. Fred Goodwin's windows were broken because a culprit (or culprits) chose to break them. That was the cause.Like Mr Taylor, I believe there is a host of things in our world which need changed. I am confident he will agree with many of my views – though there will be many more where we differ. There needs to be a mechanism for resolving those differences – otherwise anarchy will rule. Democracy, far from perfect though it is, seems to be the best mechanism we have. Even more important than democracy, though, is the rule of law. To suggest that disenchantment with politicians is a justification for breaking the law is folly. I am privileged to be elected and Mr Taylor uses his persistence and the power of words in letters to newspapers and councillors to argue for change. Changing the world doesn't happen overnight! Like Mr Taylor, I'm on the case. But lets get our priorities right and support the rule of law.Councillor Cameron Rose, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh.If you want to see the background letters/articles see here (scroll down to 'Direct Action) and here and my riposte (scroll to foot of letters page).